What Makes Me Indignant?

Indignant : [in-dig-nuhnt]: adjective, feeling , characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base

Indignant. It's a strong word.

It's a word that Gospel writer, Mark, used to describe Jesus. 

See?

Mark 10:14a:  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant...

As I read these words, I know that Jesus is God in the flesh. And I know that Jesus is so, so good. [He's given me the privilege of walking closely with Him for the last six years {by His grace}. I've experienced His goodness firsthand.] Therefore, I know that whatever  it is that makes Jesus indignant, well, I want to be crazy ticked off about it too. 

Drum-roll, please. 

In this particular passage, what is making Jesus particularly angry is... 

Nephew Mason

Mark 10:13: People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 

The disciples were rebuking people whose babies were disrupting Bible study.

And that, friends, made Jesus very, very angry.

I must confess to you that I have done the same thing. 

You see, I have a baby who disrupts Bible study (and millions of other things that I might deem more important than him at the time). I have a son who isn't able to understand deep spiritual truths, who won't sit still long enough to read through a story about Jesus, and who interrupts me when I'm talking to someone who will. And my first inclination? To think to myself that the person with the mental capacity to understand and accept truth is worth more of my time, energy, and talent than someone with  a 16-month-old understanding.

Nephew Hudson

[Insert Mommy's defense: Before y'all go thinking that I'm a terrible mother who does not tend to her son's needs or give said son enough attention, please note that I am speaking about my way of thinking = what goes on in my mind, which you will see that God is changing. My day-to-day life with my son is full of Mama + Boo Boo strolls, play dough time,{confession}eating chocolate together, babysitting & playing with other people's kids, and even trying to get him to sit through a Jesus story. I am learning to be a stay-at-home Mama with the expressed mission of investing in one precious soul.] {Keep reading}

Here's what Jesus has to say about these precious little interruptions (who were viewed as good-for-nothing-non-money-making-unintelligent-maybe-a-little-cute kids):

Mark 10:14b-15:

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

My biggest takeaway from these verses is that the little interruptions are actually our examples. I am supposed to mimic John in the way that I relate to my King, Jesus, and in the way that I serve in His Kingdom. I am to be humble and teachable (like a child), not assuming that I already know everything. I am to be a servant (like a child), doing chores as my Daddy tells me to, you know, doing my duty. I am to crave time with my Father like a child who craves time and attention from his/her parents. I am to be trusting (like a child), trusting that my King/Father knows what's best. I am to be obedient (like a child), knowing that I will be blessed/rewarded when I do obey.

My John

You get the idea? Since studying this passage last week, I have been observing John for clues from his little life about how to receive my Savior on a daily basis. Thus, John is not an unwanted distraction. No, he is one of my greatest teachers. 

BUT HE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT!

Why am I yelling? Because I believe that this (this = what comes next) is the most important takeaway from this passage. 

Jesus was indignant because (at his disciples' rebuke) people, children (made in the likeness of God) were being robbed of their dignity.   

So, I ask myself, what makes me indignant? 

Check out this list.

1. Getting honked at. I absolutely hate it when people honk at me in traffic (and ... random fact ... I will only honk at you if it is a life-and-death situation). Seriously, I hate honking.

2. It makes me indignant when people talk ugly about my sister. I only have one, and she is my girl. Don't hate on her. 

3. When John poops on the floor. (Okay, maybe it's just that last week was hard. Four explosive poops, people. Four!)

4. I HATE being rushed. Like number 1 pet peeve.

5. Sarcasm. 

6. When my hubby does stupid boy things. {I know, I know. I can't turn him into a girl. Oh, boy.}

7. When I can't eat exactly what I want exactly when I want it. #hungryranger

8. Boston Celtics/UK loss in the playoffs. World ending.

This list makes me so sad because most of the items on it have to do with me, myself, and I being wronged. Listen to how Jesus responded when he was mistreated.

Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Luke 23:34: Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." ...

You see, Jesus did not become indignant at his own mistreatment  but at the mistreatment, at the oppression & affliction of others.  Jesus was indignant as others were robbed of their dignity. So, I ask myself ... What should make me indignant?

Check out this list.

1. When children are ignored, neglected, orphaned, abused, and lied to.

2. Poverty.

3. Racism. [The history of  racism/segregation in Detroit is sparking some negative emotions in my heart. Lord, make me INDIGNANT.]

4. Slavery. [Yes, it still exists.]

5. Spiritual poverty. {When people don't have access to the truth about Jesus that I believe.}

6. The fact that there are lonely, ostracized people in the world.

7. Unfair wages.

8. Unfair treatment of immigrants.

The list could go on. Do these things make me indignant? Honestly, I'd love to say yes. But the way that I live my life (trying hard not to think about these hard, hard things = pretending that they don't exist), I'd say that honestly I'm not indignant. YET. I believe that God is carrying out a work in my life. I believe that  God is in the process of making me angry for all the right reasons.

I hope that you'll join me. 

In light of Jesus's response to the children ...

Mark 10:16: And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.

... I hope that you'll join me in taking action to be a blessing to those who have been robbed of their dignity.